The Lonely Ones
by JeSuisPenLit
Summary: Hermione Granger is the youngest professor Hogwarts has ever had, but with the honour comes more loneliness than she ever imagined. When two lonely hearts collide, will they find comfort in each other?


It was the end of another school year. Hermione felt a pang in her chest as she slowly wandered down the stone corridors, memorizing every crack in the stones beneath her feet. The sounds of her students carousing on the lawns and by the lake, giddy with freedom, floats through the wide-flung windows. The last exams had finished less than an hour ago. In two days, everyone would be heading home

Hermione dreaded the lonely summers in the castle. After her parents had moved to Australia (of their own volition this time), she had spent nearly every free summer in the castle, alternating between spending scorching summer days on the shores of the lake and rainy ones in her favourite chair in the library. The only common thread was the unending, pervasive loneliness that permeated each day.

Without warning, Hermione rounded a corner and collided with another wanderer. They both snapped out of their respective reveries.

"I'm so sorry!" they both exclaimed.

With a sinking feeling, Hermione realized who she had run into. Draco Malfoy. Former nemesis, current outcast. She had seen him at the school several times over the last year, but after a few unreciprocated greetings she had stopped trying to make nice and settled back into her usual habit of ignoring him.

"My apologies, Granger," Malfoy said, eyes looking towards the floor. "My head was somewhere else."

Something in his expression gave Hermione a jolt of compassion. "It's fine," she replied. "I wasn't really here either."

Something in her confession made him look up. Her brown eyes met his icy ones, and she was surprised to see how much sadness lurked in their depths.

"Is everything alright?" The question slipped out of her mouth unbidden. She immediately flushed. Who was she to be prying into the thoughts and feelings of Draco Malfoy?

To his credit, Malfoy also looked surprised. He wasn't used to anyone even caring enough about him to ask him what he wanted for dinner, let alone noticing he was a human being with emotions.

A wry smile flits across his lips. "It seems I'll be joining you on staff next year," he replies softly. "McGonagall has been pressuring me to take over the ancient runes courses."

Hermone is flooded with a rush of emotions she doesn't want to untangle. Her position as transfiguration professor had been given to her the second McGonagall had decided to remain Headmistress, but she was so lonely. Being the youngest staff member (by several decades) was an honour, but it left her extremely isolated. Was that why she was feeling so much joy at Malfoy's announcement?

"I-I'm so happy for you!" she stammered. "You were always top of the class in runes."

"Oh hardly!" Malfoy scoffed. "You were top of the class in everything. You'd be teaching every subject if they let you!"

The blush that had been fading for Hermione's cheeks returned with full intensity. "No," she replied frankly, "Runes was one subject where you definitely beat me. I studied and studied, but you always came out on top."

It was Malfoy's turn to flush. Her words brought feelings he had tried to push down bubble to the surface. He had often thought about being on top of Hermione Granger, just not necessarily the way she had meant it.

"I'll be glad to have you on the staff," Hermione admitted, causing Malfoy's mind to wander, thinking about her being on a different staff altogether…

Pulling his mind back to the conversation at hand, Draco gave her a quizzical look. "You will?" he asked. He was ashamed of the note of pleading hope he could hear in his own voice.

Hermione heard it too, and with a rush of impulsive compassion she reached out and squeezed his hand in her own.

"Of course. I hope we can put the past behind us and become friends. The other staff members are wonderful, but I can't say I've had many friends these last three years."

For the first time in years, Drace feels hope. The swelling in his chest it feels foreign but familiar, a lost sensation returning to a place that had previously just felt hollow.

"I'd love that," he replies softly, giving her hand a small squeeze before turning away from her and making his way back down the corridor.

He traces his steps back until he has reached Headmistress McGonagall's door. Without knocking, he bursts through. She looks up, as if she had known he would be back.

"I've changed my mind!" he exclaims breathlessly. "I want to accept your offer. Please, I want to teach runes next year!"

**A/N: First upload in 6 years! Let me know what you think. Should this stay a one-shot or should I make it a series?! Also thank you to those who pointed out how badly I screwed up the first time I uploaded, I REALLY appreciate it!**


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